Osteoarthritis

The 5 reasons you have a swollen knee

June 10, 2024 ·

If you’ve ever woken up to find your knee looking more like a balloon than a joint, you know it’s no walk in the park. Knee swelling is one of those things that can really throw a wrench in your day, leaving you scratching your head and wondering, “What on earth did I do to deserve this?”

The Sneaky Culprit: Overuse Injuries

So, picture this: you’ve been hitting the court hard, playing pickleball like a champ, or maybe you decided to lace up your running shoes and go for a 10-mile jog instead of your usual 3. Sounds like a recipe for knee trouble, doesn’t it? Well, it just might be.

You see, overuse injuries are like the silent assassins of joint pain. They sneak up on you when you least expect it, leaving you unable to keep active. And if you happen to have osteoarthritis, well, consider yourself even more susceptible!

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When hands change: Hand Arthritis

January 3, 2022 ·

“My hands are deforming just like my grandmothers.”

We don’t think about how much our hands do for us until they start giving us problems. We assume we will be able grip our steering wheel, type on our keyboards and button our shirts. But for many of us, usually in our 40’s (although it can start earlier), we start to notice changes in our hands. A day of work at our computer ends with our hands sore. We can’t quite open jars as easily as before and we may notice seemingly random shooting pains and numbness in our fingers. These symptoms can go unnoticed until we start noticing our hands LOOK different and rings don’t fit. Shoot….time to see a doctor!

When someone ends up in my office worried about their hands, I know their number one concern is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). A quick visit to Dr. Google, informs everyone that RA could cause hand pain and lead to “deformities.” For most of us with hand pain (including myself), RA will not be the culprit, but instead, osteoarthritis (OA).

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Transitioning from the pediatrician’s office

June 1, 2021 ·

Being diagnosed with a chronic medical condition during childhood or adolescence shapes the lives of the patient and their family. In Rheumatology, the pediatric rheumatologist can become an additional parent and a partner. Pediatric hospitals and clinics become homes away from home. They are often painted bright colors, have comfy furniture and entertainment throughout the halls as everyone tries to make the heartbreaking reality of disease in children more palatable. Thankfully, treatment success in rheumatology is the norm and there will come a day in most patient’s lives when they need to say goodbye to their pediatric rheumatologist and find a new adult-focused rheumatologist. Transitioning from the pediatrician’s office is a day most patients and parents dread. This process, known as “transition,” is an integral part to any young person’s care.

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Back pain: when to worry

January 6, 2021 ·

Back Pain is everywhere! Most of us will likely experience it sometime during our lifetime and many of us will never know why. In fact, for most of us, when we see our doctor, we may be given pain relievers and told not to worry about it. But when SHOULD we worry about it? There are signs that doctors are trained to look for. Thinking about whether or not you have any of these will help you decide if and when it’s time to see your doctor.

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I love Physical Therapy

January 5, 2021 ·

The lessons we can learn from Physical Therapy about our own body and our movement, can, literally, be life changing. Having persistent joint pain or body pain can be frustrating and demoralizing. It can have a profound impact on ALL aspects of our lives, as we may find we can no longer do the things that brought us joy or stress relief. At first, this may seem like a small annoyance, but with time the tension can build and our mental health can suffer. Naturally, we think that this deserves a trip to the doctor, and of course it does. But all too often I have seen the looks of disappointment when I suggest the treatment is physical therapy. What? No shot?? No medication?

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